Callum Wilson has revealed that he caught Granit Xhaka ‘smiling’ while feigning an injury in our 2-0 defeat to Arsenal to waste time and kill our momentum.
It was a frustrating game to watch as a fan – particularly as the majority of Arsenal’s tactics went unnoticed by the referee and very little time was added back on.
As Wilson suggested in his podcast, several players at different points had gone down with a supposed injury and requested a physio be brought on before getting back up and playing on.
While we have seen Newcastle employ similar tactics in difficult games this season, it was infuriating to see the referee allow the players to take their time with almost every action. There were no yellow cards, no punishments and not enough time added on.
It was also very hypocritical of Mikel Arteta, who had expressed his anger towards our ‘timewasting’ in the reverse fixture that ended 0-0, but had no issues with his own side benefiting from it.
Speaking on the BBC’s Footballer’s Football Podcast, here’s what Wilson told Michail Antonio about his altercation with Granit Xhaka:
“He has sat down with his ‘groin injury’ and he is smiling away like there is nothing even wrong with him.”
“I am like ‘get up’. He is obviously just wasting time. I think every one of their players went down at some point and got the physio on. And got up after a couple of minutes of delay.
“They obviously come with that clear tactic. When you are the home team trying to get momentum in the game, it frustrates you.
“Then you are trying to pick him up and he starts talking. You (Michail Antonio) know what it’s like. You are from the streets, you don’t allow people to talk to you like that. I am like, off the pitch, people don’t talk like this to me, so I am not going to allow it on the pitch.”
FFS – you got beaten by the better team employing the SAME tactics you used against them – so dry your eyes and get over it!!!!
Eddie(Quote)
Well that’s karma you came to the emirates and employed the same tactics. In fact you have the ball in time the least amount of any team in the league, yet you cry when it’s on the other foot.
The fact is you thought you could play attacking front foot aggressive football and steamroll over arsenal and that failed to happen so you’re crying about this. Yes it’s frustrating but as with anything in life pic you don’t want it to happen to you don’t do it to others.
Richard Morgan(Quote)
agree with the sentiment of the two gunners in this thread .. nufc fans need to get over it.
the tone of the posts above is a little puerile given the volume of complaint from the emirates games but hey ho .. congratulations arsenal on a great season .
Credit to arteta for learning and wow do Newcastle have a gem in Howe; setting examples for top level managers to copy.
Newcastle have come a long way in a season if self proclaimed elite clubs are following our lead.
So no complaints here and on Newcastle go to Leeds.
HWTL
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
Callum Wilson exposes Arsenal’s time-wasting tactics
That’s funny. Like nobody else at the match saw it?
Daveys **** mate(Quote)
When Newcastle “time wasted “ at Liverpool wasn’t the time added on at the end enabling Liverpool to equalise?
If the referees do their job properly like they did in the World Cup there would be loads of time added on in the Premier League.
If referees and VAR did their job properly Liverpool wouldn’t have the fortune they have had, the team that has had a load of horrible decisions go against them is probably West Ham, sometimes it’s swings and roundabouts but not with those two clubs.
Joseph(Quote)